At least three US military personnel were killed on Sunday when a Marine helicopter crashed during a training exercise off the northern coast of Australia, U.S. officials said.
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey was carrying 23 service members when it went down at about 9:30 a.m. near the Tiwi Islands, in the Northern Territory of Australia, officials with the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin said in a statement.
Five other service members were taken to the Royal Darwin Hospital in serious condition, the statement said.
The Osprey had been transporting troops as part of a “routine training exercise” in support of Exercise Predators Run, a joint military exercise, officials said.
Read: Fukushima: China Retaliates as Japan Releases Treated Nuclear Water
Recovery efforts were ongoing, officials said. The cause of the crash had not yet been determined.
U.S. Army officials in April had ordered a 24-hour stand down of all aviation units following two deadly mid-air helicopter collisions within 30 days.
“The safety of our aviators is our top priority, and this stand-down is an important step to make certain we are doing everything possible to prevent accidents and protect our personnel,” Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville said in a statement announcing the stand-down.
By ABC News
Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
